Refrigerator car bracing panel system



Feb. 24, 1953 w. G. KOCH REFRIGERATOR CAR BRACING PANEL SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 6, 1949 Feb. 24, 1953 w. G. KOCH REFRIGERATOR CAR BRACING PANEL SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 6, 1949 ESS 0 0 0 0 O Q 0 O www Q0000O000O00000C000 j Feb. 24, 1953 w. G. KocH 2,629,338

' REFRIGERA'IOR CAR BRACING PANEL SYSTEM Filed Jan. 6, 1949` 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INI/EN TOR.

WAHM ,9. 5MG@ Feb. 24, 1953 w. G. KOCH REFRGERATOR CAR BRACING PANEL SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sueet 5 Filed Jan. 6, `1949 INVENTOR.

4free/vf' i Patented Feb. Z4, 1953 REFRIGERATOR CAR BRACING PANEL SYSTEM Walter G. Koch, Evansville, Ind., assignor to International Steel Company, Evansville, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application January 6, 1949, Serial No. 69,526

9 Claims.

, invention relates broadly to transportation .equipment and more particularly to apparatus for facilitating shipment of perishable products in refrigerator cars.

`Cine of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction of metallic fittings for refrigerator cars for facilitating the packing and vtransportation of perishable products.

Another object of my invention is to provide a` construction of stainless steel hardware for installation in refrigerator cars for facilitating packing, protection, and transportation of goods such as meats, fruits, fresh vegetables, and other perishable products.

Still another object of my invention is to provide aconstruction of bracing panel for refrigerator cars which may -be adjustably positioned transversely of .a refrigerator car `for partitioning and protecting food products Isuch as meats, fruits, fresh vegetables, and other perishable goods during transportation.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a construction of stainless steel bracing panel for refrigerator cars which may be suspended interiorly of the car and selectively moved to a desired transverse position therein for rigidly packing a load" within the car and preventing its dislodgement therein during transportation.

A still further object of my invention resides in a construction of hanger mechanism for suspending a transverse gate within a refrigerator carin a position in which the gate may be swung to a substantially horizontal position in the top of the refrigerator car for facilitating loading of the car :and thereafter dropped to a vertical position for bracing the loa-d within the car.

Other and further objects `of my invention reside in the construction., of light-weight meta-llic bracingpanel and hardware fittings associated therewith, as set forth more fully in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view showing the bracing panel of my invention in position for bracing the load or cargo stored within the car; Fig; 2` is a front elevational view of the bracing panel in transverse position within the refrigerator car; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, the view being enlarged to illustrate the detailed construction of the tubing forming the *bracing panel; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view partially broken away and illustrated in longitudinal section substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an en` larged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through one corner of the bottom of the bracing panel, with certain of the parts shown in eleva- .tion and illustrating particularly the condensate drain in the end of one of the vertical tubes forming the bracing panel; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 1-1 of Fig. 6 and illustrating particularly the` mounting means for one of the retractible and extendible securing bolts; Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on line 8--8 of Fig. 2 and showing the attachment means for the hook which serves to suspend the bracing panel in horizontal position above the load in the refrigerator car while loading or unloading the car; Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 9-9 of Fig. 6; Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line Ie-l of Fig. 2 .and illustrating the clip for securing the hook in stowed position when the bracing panel is secured in transverse bracing position in the refrigerator car; Fig. 1l is a fragmentary elevational view showing the bracing ypanel moved to transverse position in the refrigerator car with the securing bolts in retracted position; Fig. l2 is a fragmentary view of the gate and one of the hangers thereof as illustrated in Fig. 11 but showing one of the securing bolts in projected position for maintaining the bracing panel in position relative to the side walls of the refrigerator car; Fig. 13 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through th-e hanger mechanism for suspending the bracing panel and showing particularly the means I provide for preventing with-,- drawal of the bracing panel from the car forpre.- `cluding theft therein; Fig. 14 is a vertical sec:- tional view taken substantially on line Ill-M of Fig. 13; and Fig. l5 shows the bracing panel in stowed position.

My invention is -directed to an improved hard- Ware assembly which I have developed particularly for refrigerator cars and for facilitating the shipments of loads and cargoes generally of the perishable class such as meats, fruits, fresh vegetables and other perishable food products which must be moved to the market rapidly and preserved against injury incident to transportation. A particular feature of my invention is the pro.- vision of hardwarefor installation in refrigerator cars where the hardware is readily washableib a forced flow from an ordinary water hose.

I have found the equipment. ofmy invention Y highly practi-cal in its construction and application, and while I have 4described herein one of the preferred embodiments of my invention, I realize that modifications may be made and I desire that the disclosure herein be understood in the illustrative sense and not in the limiting sense. l

I provide a light-weight tubular bracing panel construction formed from stainless steel and so attached to the refrigerator car that it is not readily removable except by authorized persons with the use of proper tools for thereby preventing theft of the hardware. The bracing panel may be adjustably positioned along the length of the refrigerator car for partitioning 4 forming a tube of substantially rectangular contour. In Figs. 4 and 5 the construction of the tubes has been claried by showing the sides I 5a and I5?) of one channel-shaped section I5 connected with the sides I5c and I5d of the comelementary channel-shaped section I5 forming )y their conjoint relationship the closed seamed tube I5.V The structure of tube I4 is similar to the tube I5 as described. These tubes are closed at the top by a capping member represented in LEig. 13 at IIE and at the bottom each of the the goods loaded into the car and bracing the Y goods against displacement or swinging movement incident to transportation. The bracing panel is provided with extensible and retractiblev boltsy engageable in spaced sockets provided inY readily adjusting the bracing panel to the desired lateral position along the car. The hangers are so Iconstructed as will readily permitV the swinging of the panel bracing to a substantially unobstructing position during loading and unloading operations.

Referring to the drawings in detail, reference character I designates the iioor Vstructure of a refrigerator car having side w-alls 2 and 3 closed by a ceiling structure 4. The conventional refrigerator car is illustrated in Fig- 1 as having centrally arranged side openings represented at f5 and `l adapted to be closed by the doors at each side of the refrigerator car as represented for example bythe swinging door 1. I have shown the Yrefrigerator 'car equipped with floor racks represented at 8 and 9 which extend substantially the width of the refrigerator car terminating end to end. These floor racks are formed from stainless steel and are readily7 washable and maintained in sanitary condition.V The oor racks may support certain of the loads such las stacks of'bellies of bacon or steaks. Such zloads may be stacked beneath the meats which -and is pendan-tly suspended from the top of the refrigerator car. `that it is very. importantto suppress the swing- It will therefore be apparent ing'movement of this pendant mass which may yresult from a rough road-bed in rail transportation. All contact with the meat, however, must `he by means having a high degree of sanitation yand -my development has' met these problems in -a very effectivev manner. r

Y YEach Vbracing panel is formed by two vertically yextending stainless steel tubes shown at I4 andy I5. The tubes are'each formed by a pair of `channels having theirgsdes seamed together tubes is provided with a perforated closure member represented at I'I in Fig. 6 and at I8 in Fig. 5. Closure plate I'I is perforated at I9 while closure plate I8 is Vperforated at 26. These perforations release and discharge condensate which may collect in the hollow vertical tubes Y It and I4. Y

The bracing panel is made up of Ia multiplicity lof spaced stainless steel tubes of substantially Vthe tube 25 project beyond the upper and lower edges thereof as represented at 25a and 25D at Vone end and at 250 and 25d -at the other end and overlap the sides of the vertically extending tubular members I5 and I4. These overlapped projections are spotwelded to the vertically extending tubes I5 and I4. Then the upper .and loweredges of the transverselyl extending tubes are welded to the vertically extending tubes I5 and I4 and provide a sanitary type joint, preventing the secretion of dirt `and foreign matter and ensuring a sanitary condition of the bracing panels at all times. The edges of the tubes 215 are either overlappedland spotwelded or butt welded. In showing the overlapped construction I have somewhat exaggerated the amount of the overlap and it will be understood that anly .a relatively small amount of overlap is necessary.

The stainless steel tubings 2I-3I are spaced one from the other along the vertical lengths of the tubes I4 and I5 for a distance approximately one-half the width of the horizontally disposed tubes which results in a light-weight construction which has very substantial rigidity. The bracing panel or gate thus formed is a structural unit which is suspended from the top of the refrigerator car. This suspension is accomplished by a pair of spaced hangers comprising vertically extending stainless steel bars 32 and 33. The bars 32 and 33 are welded to the interior of the vertically extending tubes I4 and I5 as represented for example at 34 in Fig. 13. The bar extends interiorly of the upper end of each tube for a `distan-oe sufficient to form a secure spotweld to the tube. The cap represented at I6 which closes the upper end of the vertically extending tube nts directly against the suspension bar. Each suspension bar forms a connecting means for a link 35 and 3'6 which extends from the roller carrier 3l and 38. Each roller carrier 31 and 38 has a bolt member 39 and 40 extending transversely therethrough forming a journal for roller-members 4I and 42. Roller members 4I and 42 engage the' longitudinally extending rails 43 and 44 Which are supported on brackets 45 and 46 sei `cured to the opposite sides of the refrigerator car. AV protective device in the form of an angle member 41 and 48 depends downwardly from bolt member 40 and projects beneath the coacting rail as represented more clearly in Fig. 13. 'Ihus it will be seen that once assembled in position the roller member 4.2 cannot be removed from the rail '44 by reason of the obstruction oifered by the member 48 projecting beneath the rail 44. Theft of the bracing panel assembly is thereby prevented.

It is particularly important to note and observe the manner of connecting links 35 and St with suspension bars 32 and 33. The bolts 49 and 50 extend through the overlapping ends of links '3'5 and 36`and the suspension bars 32 and 33. The upper` extremities of the suspension Abars 32 and 33 include arcuate shaped slots adjacent the upper extremities thereof as represented for example at 33a in Figs. 13 vand 14. Bolt members 5l and 52'extend through the arcuate shaped slots adjacent the upper ends of suspension bars s2 and 33respec'tively and pass through the links 35 and `36 for providing an inter-connection between the bracing panel assembly and the links capable of limited lost motion necessary in moving the bracing panel assembly to the stowed or upper hori "zontal position shown in Fig. 12 during the loading and unloading operation. The bottom of the bracing panel constituted by tube 3l has a plate member 53 seour'edthe'reto as shown more clearly in Fig. 8 with a depending loop 54 supported thereby and forming a connecting means for the rhook 55. The hook 55 includes an elongated loop portion adapted to be engaged over one of the rails |`l `when the panel is raised to stowed position as represented in Fig. 15. Whenever the bracing panel is moved to operative position transversely of the refrigerator car as represented in Fig. 2 the hook 55 is clipped as represented in Fig. 10 in the retainer clip 56 secured to the bottom of the bracing panel.

The refrigerator car within which the bracing panel operates is equipped on each of the side Walls 2 and 3 thereof with facing surfaces 51 and 58 along which longitudinally extending strips are installed. The longitudinally extending strips installed along the facing surface 5l are represented at 59, 66 and 6I. The longitudinally extending strips installed along facing surface 53 are repre-` sentedat G2, t3 and te. These longitudinally extending strips are formed from stainless steel and' are spaced one from the other through ver'- tical distances in alignment with retractible and extendible bolts carried by opposite ends of the bracing panel. The sets of strips are Vprovided with socket openings in substantial vertical alignment topermit the entry of extendible and retra-ctible bolts from the ends of the bracing panel for maintaining the bracing panel in a selected rigid position within the refrigerator car.

The construction of the securing bolts is illustrated more clearly in Figs. 6, 7, 9, 11-14 from which it will be seen that the cylindrical sleeve or barrel members llt are disposed in the spaces between the tubular members represented for example in Fig. 6 at tS--SL` The sleeve or barrel 65 is 'rigidly supported between the spaced tubular members Sil and 3| by a channel-shaped spacer Et and extends through the vertical extending tubular member represented at l5 and is secured at the end thereofby means of flange tta which connects with the exterior endvsurface of the tubular member t5. The sleeve 55 forms a housfor the proietta-ble and retractible bolt El v which is guided therein by means of pin 68 and projects radially through `longitudinally extending `slot G9 in sleeve 55. The slot 69 is bayonetted at each end thereof as represented at 69a and 69h in Fig. 6 to permit the latching of bolt 6l in either retracted or projected position by a slight twist of the bolt as represented more particularly in Fig. 9. The pin t8 is provided Vwith an angularly disposed handle @da to enable the-bolt 6l to be readily controlled by the iingers of the operator. Three of the retractible and extendible bolts are provided at each end of the bracing panel in spaced relation corresponding to the spaced positions of the socket openings in the strips 59, 6B and 6I adjacent one wall of the car and strips 62, et and 64 adjacent the opposite wall of the car. The retractible and extendible bolts are designated in Fig. 2 at El, lil, 1i, 12, 13 and ld. As the bracing panel is aligned with the socket openings in the opposite strips the bolts are angularly shifted to latched retracted position and moved outwardly to enter the socket openings in the several strips and then angularly shifted to latch the bolts in their projected positions, thus maintaining the bracing panel in selected position within the refrigerator car. Fig. 11 shows the bolts El, le and ll in their retracted position freeing the bracing panel for selective adjustment within the car or for swinging movement to a stowed position as represented in Fig. 15.

in order to reinforce the lower bolts 6l and 'i4 adjacent the bottom of the bracing panel which is subject to considerable strain and stress I provide additional reinforcement for these bolts as represented in Figs. 5 and 7 by applying a transversely extending strip member and i6 to the ends of the vertically extending tubes I5 and I4 and spaced therefrom and provided with openings through which the bolts El and 'i4 may slide.

The bracing panel is, for all practical purposes, permanently attached to the refrigerator car and is not subject to ready removal therefrom. Sev` eral such bracing panels may be employed between rows of downwardly depending carcasses and the carcasses thereby clamped and restrained, preventing bruising of the meat.

The fact that the metal structure of the bracing panel is formed from stainless steel permits the washing of the parts by forced iiow of water from a hose or by steam, so that sanitary transportation conditions may be assured. The joints and connections of the parts are such that accumulation of particles from the food products may be readily washed away.

I have found the structure of my invention highly practical and successful in operation and while have described my invention in one of its preferred embodiments l" realize that mcdications may se made and I desire that it be understood that no limitations upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

'What I claim as new and desire to secure yby Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

l. in a structure of the class described, a bracing panel formed by a multiplicity of spaced parallelextending tubular members, means for suspending said bracing panel in a position adjacent the top of an enclosing wall structure for adjustable movement transversely thereof in position for bracing material stored within the enclosing wall structure, a multiplicity of projectable and retractible pintles disposed between certain of said parallel extending members and carried byopposite ends of said bracing panel and pr'ojectable into and retractible from aligned socket openings in the sides of the enclosing wall structure, said bracing panel having the spaced parallel Vextending tubular members thereof interconnected by vertically extending hollow tubular members of substantially rectangular section, the vertically extending hollow tubular members each enclosing a substantially dead air column having a height substantially equal to the height of the bracing panel and each being provided with vdrainage openings adjacent the bottom thereof for the release of condensate which may accumulate on the interior walls of said vertically disposed hollow tubular members.

2. In a structure of the class described, a bracing panel, suspension bars extending from positions adjacent opposite ends from said bracing panel, links pivotally connected with said bars and angularly movable w'ith respect thereto, limiting means extending through said bars and links above the pivotal connections thereof for restricting the angular movement of said links, roller members journaled on said links and engageable with rail members supported longitudinally above said bracing panel for suspending said bracing panel from a position adjacent the top of an enclosing wall structure for adjusting said bracing panel transversely of the enclosing wall structure for the selective positioning thereof and facilitating the angular movement thereof to a stowed substantially horizontal position.

3. In a structure of the class described, a bracing panel, means for suspending said bracing panel from a position adjacent the top Vof an enclosing wall structure, said means including longitudinally extending rail members xed with respect to said enclosing wall structure, roller members engaging said rail members, links connected with said bracing panel and pivoted about the pivotal axis of said roller members and permitting adjustment of said bracing panel transversely of the enclosing wall structurev for the selective positioning thereof, and a confining angle member pivotally mounted on the journaling means for each of said roller members and gravitationally Vdepending therefrom with a portion of the angle member extending beneath the coacting rail member for interlocking said bracing panel with respect to said rail members.

4. In a structure of the class described, a bracing panel, means for suspending said bracing panel from a position adjacent the top of an enclosing Wall structure, said means including longitudinally extending rail members fixed with respect to the enclosing wall structure, and roller members engaging said rail members and connected with said bracing panel for adjusting said Y vmembers and the other pair of strip members projecting upwardly from opposite ends of said bracing panel and an angularly shiftable lost motion pivotal connection between said strip members Afor facilitating the movement of `said bracing panel from a substantially vertical transverse Lposition within said enclosing wall structure to a Y substantiallyhorizontal stowed position adjacent the top of said enclosing wall structure.

5. In a structure -of the class described, a bracpanel, means for suspending said bracing panel from a lposition adjacent the top of an enclosing wall structure, said means including longitudinally extending rail members fixed with respect to the enclosing wall structure, roller members engaging said rail members and connesting lwith said bracing panel for adjusting said b-racing panel transversely ofthe enclosing wall structure for the selective positioning thereof, the connections between said roller members and said bracing panel including angularly shiftable lost motion depending bars permitting relative angular displacement of the bracing panel with respect to said roller members for facilitating the movement of said bracing panel from a substan-V tiallyv vertical transverse position within the enclosing Wall structure to a substantially horizontal stowed position adjacent the top of said enclosing wall structure, with said bracing panel shifted out of coplanar alignment with the connections with roller members.

6. A bracing panel formed by a pair of verti cally extending rectangular tubular members, spaced from each other in coplanar relation,ieach of said tubular members being formed by a pair of coacting channels having overlapping side flanges directed toward and secured to each other with the webs thereof extending in spaced substantially parallel planes, and a multiplicity of spaced parallel extending horizontally disposed channel members with the opposite ends of the anges thereof recessed for receiving said vertically extending tubular members and with extensions of the webs thereof overlapping the vertically disposed rectangular tubular members and secured thereto and the flanges of said horizontally disposed channel members overlapping each other and secured in horizontally seamed relation.V

'Il'. A bracing panel formed by a pair of vertically extending rectangular tubular members spaced from each other in coplanar relation, each of said tubular members being formed by a pair of coacting channels having overlapping flanges directed toward and secured to each other in combination Vwith a multiplicity of coacting spaced parallel extending horizontal channel members with the opposite ends of the flanges of the channel members recessed and receiving said vertically extending tubular members with extensions of the webs thereof overlapping the vertically disposed rectangular tubular members and secured thereto and the Webs of said coacting channels overlapping each other and secured in horizontally seamed relation, horizontally disposed tubular members disposed in opposite flanges of said vertically extending rectangular tubular members, projectable and retractible pintles extending transversely througlrsaid horizontally disposed tubular members and between certain of said horizontal channel members, and means supported by said vertically extending rectangular tubular members for guiding said projectable and retractible'pintles from positions housed substantially within said horizontally disposed tubular mem` bers to positions extending beyond said vertically extending rectangular tubular members;

S. A bracing panel formed by a pair of vertically extending Vtubular members spaced from each other in coplanar relation, a multiplicity of coacting spaced parallel transversely extendingV tubular members interconnecting said vertically extending tubular members; upwardly extending hangers connected with'k the upperY ends o1 said vertically extending tubular members adjacent the top Vtransversely extending tubular members,V a pair having the upper ends thereof turned over upon themselves above said rails, roller members journaled in the said turned over portions of said links and engaging said rails, the depending ends of said links being pivotally connected at their lower extremities with said hangers in a position adjacent the upper transversely extending member of said bracing panel, the upper extremities of said hangers having arcuate slots formed therein and fastening means extending through said links and through the arcuate slots in said hangers for interconnecting said links and hangers for allowing restricted angular displacement of said hangers with respect to said links as said -bracing panel is moved from a substantially vertical plane to a horizontal plane about said roller members as centers with said brace panel displaced from coplanar alignment with the journals between the turned over portions of said links and said roller member.

9. A bracing panel formed by a pair of vertically extending rectangular tubular members spaced from each other in coplanar relation, each of said tubular members being formed by a pair of coacting channels having overlapping anges directed toward and secured to each other, in combination With a multiplicity of coacting spaced parallel extending horizontal channel members with the opposite ends of their flanges recessed and receiving said vertically extending rectangular tubular members and with the webs thereof overlapping the vertically disposed rec- 4tangular tubular members and secured thereto and the Webs of said coacting channels overlapping each other and secured in horizontally seamed relation, horizontally disposed tubular 10 members extending through opposite flanges of said vertically disposed tubular members, a channel-shaped spacer extending between the aforesaid horizontally disposed channel members and forming mounting means for the interior ends of said horizontally disposed tubular members, projectable and retractible pintles extending transversely through said horizontally disposed tubular members and 'between certain of said horizontally disposed channel members, and external means supported by said vertically disposed rectangular tubular members for guiding said projectable and retractible pintles from positions housed substantially Within said horizontally disposed tubular members to positions extending beyond said horizontally disposed tubular members.

WALTER G. KOCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Leppla May 15,1945 

